Verdanian Entourage
Verdan dignitaries in official functions are accompanied by a Verdanian Entourage of hand-picked representative girls, depending on their rank or function. The number of girls gives a rough estimate of the importance of the person, while the composition of the entourage hints at his function. However, there are many nuances to this custom and things like 'modest understatement' or simple concerns for practicality makes it hard for an outsider to gauge a man's true importance by the size of his entourage. Girls commonly part of a Verdanian Entourage: ;Private Secretary : Possibly the most common member and seen in most Entourages, she denotes an administrative capacity and assists her master in his business affairs. She usually has a prim, professional look and shows only a (for Torei) modicum of skin. : ;Refreshment Girl : A personal servant carrying a tray of refreshments for her master and also to offer them to guests, aquaintances and business partners. In effect, she is a private maid: Cleaning, fetching and carrying for her master. Her attire mimicks what a server or maid might wear in a Verdanian hotel or mansion. : ;Shield Girl : A female agent of the Ministry of Truancy who serves to protect her master and who represents his power and influence. Her attire is the uniform of hotpants and crop top issued to shield girls in regular service. In civilized, secure surroundings, she will usually appear without her riot shield and only wear a brassard on her arm, emblazoned with a shield. : ;Honor Guard : A rare, male member of the entourage, the honor guard is a Truancy Enforcer tasked with the protection of a Verdan dignitary and to represent Verdan's armed forces. An honor guard is only afforded to very high ranking administrators or in times of clear and present danger. The honor guard himself is frequently accompanied by his own shield girl to assist and protect him. : ;Penitent : This girl is usually clad in a punitive full-body suit with visible automated discipline devices and heavily restrained. She has no practical function; rather, she serves to demonstrates her master's dedication to law, order and justice. : ;Nurse : A medically trained girl, wearing the typical short, white laminate uniform of her profession. She denotes either her master's profession - or his poor health. : ;Freak : A woman (or man, who can tell) who has been bioengineered so far away from the human norm that she looks monstrous and intimidating. The freak is never part of an official entourage but often accompanies criminals and more shady businesspeople in the same function that a shield girl might serve for a legitimate dignitary. : Multiple copies of the same function are, of course, possible. The usual size of a Verdan Entourage is 1 for a low member of the administration (almost always a Secretary), 3 for the mid tier (Usually Secretary, Refreshment Girl and one other depending on his function) and 10 or more for the highest tier. The entourage system is only used for very official matters - but it has found entry into Verdan culture and is routinely imitated. It is not uncommon for a wealthy business owner - or administrator on leave - to have their own private entourage following them around. As the girls on an entourage (except for the shield girls) bear no formal markings, it is easy for a wannabe to hire a group of women to follow him around for an evening so he can pretend to be someone important. And even if a man commands just a handful of girls, they - or at least the one or two privileged ones whom he keeps close - will appear as his entourage in public without needing to be told. Serving a man of higher status brings status to the girls serving him, after all.